The communications world is in constant flux, and one of the key alterations now taking place is the transformation from a hardware-driven industry to a largely software-based environment. That is not to say that hardware solutions will go away, for they won’t; but there are many instances where customers can deploy generic equipment to run standards-based software in its IP-based communications system.

 

Of course, in addition to not taking any space, software solutions offer the additional benefit of being readily upgradeable, both for the developer and the customer. As such, it is also simpler to ensure compatibility with other software products, especially the various Microsoft (News - Alert) products that have flooded the market. 

 

That is the position software-based IP PBX (News - Alert) developer pbxnsip has taken, having recently released version 2.0 of its SIP-based IP PBX. Now, pbxnsip has announced its software has been proven interoperable with Microsoft Exchange 2007 Unified Messaging (UM) platform. In fact, the company says it has demonstrated direct SIP connectivity with the Microsoft platform.

 

Not only does this mean customers can connect to Microsoft’s platform, which dominates the business market — many PBX vendors require a gateway to connect with Exchange 2007 UM — but it also means that businesses can communicate using SIP connectivity, saving expensive network bandwidth. Given the heavy focus on unified messaging at businesses today, this is significant simply because it offers a reliable IP PBX product that has been proven to work seamlessly with what is likely to become the leading UM product on the market.

 

“With our ability to interface directly to Exchange without the need for expensive gateways, the customer benefits with a pure SIP solution that lowers the cost of ownership and management between their PBX and their enterprise email platform,” said Paul McCabe, VP of Business Development at pbxnsip (News - Alert).  “Customers are looking for a common Inbox for their email and voicemail through Unified Messaging.”

 

In fact, the Microsoft booth at the recent CeBIT (News - Alert) trade show in Hannover, Germany featured the pbxnsip IP PBX along with snom’s IP phones (pbxnsip is a spinoff of snom). According to pbxnsip, this is the first time Microsoft has featured SIP-based VoIP products at CeBIT. In addition to its Exchange Server 2007, Microsoft also had on display its Office Communications Server and Office Communicator, both of which also support SIP.

 

The Exchange Server 2007 UM support brings to pbxnsip customers the ability to not only use a single platform for their email and voice mail, but it also allows them to store voice mails on their Exchange Server, and retrieve them using Microsoft’s Automatic Speech Recognition product, which is enabled by the SIP trunk provided by pbxnsip — but without additional hardware.

 

The Andover, Massachusetts-based company already has seen more than 300 installations of its software product, which is scalable from 10 to 1,000 extensions in a single location. Its proven compatibility with Microsoft’s Unified Messaging solution is sure to bring additional attention.